Underfloor Heating
11th January 2016
It wasn’t until I stayed in a property fitted with underfloor heating that I realised what a luxury it really is. Me and my husband stayed at “The brew house” which is an exquisite little cottage based in the sleepy town of Maulds Meaburn. The bathroom and kitchen were clad in flagstone tiles, similar in appearance to our Umbrian Limestone.
(Photo courtesy: http://www.lakescottageholiday.co.uk/property/brew-house-maulds-meaburn-penrith-eden-valley-49245.htm)
I was truly surprised with how much heat the system kicked out, it was enough to keep the property warm and cosy and it felt wonderful under foot. I wouldn’t have said that the tiles were unbearably cold when the system was turned off by any means, but the “satisfaction” meter certainly seemed matched by the thermostats!
The main concern customers usually have about underfloor heating, is the cost of running. Unfortunately it is not the simplest question to answer. The cost of running is dependent on the insulation of the property. If the property is poorly insulated, the efficiency of the heating system can be severely compromised. It is always worth spending a bit more money to ensure that the property is well insulated beforehand so you can enjoy the cost effective nature of the underfloor heating in the years to come.
Electric underfloor heating in a well-insulated property can be run (based on default settings) from as little as 40 pence per day on the lower watt mats. The mats also do not need to be linked up to the mains gas supply, making them more versatile and easier to install than ‘wet’ systems (the cost of cable systems is lower too!).
Another common question is whether underfloor heating can be used as the main heat source to an area. In the majority of cases (in well insulated areas) the answer is yes! Which can make the logistics of heating up your projects much simpler.
How long the floor takes to heat up can vary dependant on how thick the floor tiles you are using are, generally speaking the majority of surfaces should be nice and warm within an hour.
We source our underfloor heating at Floors of Stone through a supplier called Varme, who are renowned for their quality and their ability to offer lifetime guarantees on their systems. We have worked with them for the last seven years and have had a very positive relationship and feedback throughout. Only the other week a customer sent an email in to let us know how well their heated floor had gone down with some of the residents in his house, we think the results speak for themselves:
If you would like to discuss underfloor heating with the Floors of Stone team please call into the sales team on: 01509 234 000 or email us on: enquiries@floorsofstone.com
